negroni



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. E. NEGRONI.

MUSIC LEAF TURNER.

No. 321,238. Patented June 30, 1885.

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E. NEGRONI.

MUSIC. LEAF TURNER.

No. 321,238. Patented JuneBO, 1885.

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WZ WFUN (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3. E. NEGRONI.

MUSIC LEAF TURNER.

Patented June'BO; 1885.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4..

E. NEGRONI.

MUSIC LEAF TURNER.

5 8 0O 1 0 n0 6 n u U d W H HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHU n Ln u a ha g P a k u w W40w rN UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDl/VABD NEGRONI, OF 32 BRUNSWICK SQUARE, COUNTY OF MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND.

MUSIC-LEAF TURNER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 321,238, dated June 30,1885.

Application filed October 17, 1884. (No model.) Patented in England June25, 1884, No. 9,413.

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD NEGRONI, professor of music, a subject of theKing of Italy, and residing at 32 Brunswick Square, in the county ofMiddlesex, England, have invented certain Improvements in Apparatus forTurning Over Leaves of Music or Books, (forwhich I have applied for apatent in Great Britain, No. 9,413, dated June 25, 1884,) of which theIO following is a specification.

My invention has for its object to provide a simple and effectiveapparatus by which leaves of music or leaves of books can be turned overwithout necessitating the use of the hands for the purpose.

An apparatus constructed according to my invention consists of a numberof levers set upon an axis, so that they can have a motion of partialrotation imparted to them one after the other. Each of the said leverscarries a clip or device for engaging a sheet of music, the said leversbeing of different lengths, so that the said clips or devices will liein the same or about the same plane, the said levers being situated oneunder the other, and kept at a certain distance apart by washers or thelike mounted upon the axis. Beneath the series of levers and capable ofsliding longitudinally, and also of having a motion of about a 0semi-rotation upon the said axis,is a piece carrying a catch or.tooth,which engages behind the lever which is lowermost, the said catchor tooth being caused by a spring or the like to always take up thisposition when released.

3 5 The leaves to be turned are put in due order between or engaged withthe clips or devices at the ends of the levers, the leaf to be firstturned being engaged with the clip or device of the lowermostlever, thenext leaf being engaged with the clip or device of thelever next aboveit, and so on with as many levers as may be used. The catch or toothlying, as aforesaid, at the back of the lowermost lever,

on a partial rotation being given to the piece 5 carrying the said catchor tooth by a cord or other suitable means, it carries over the saidlever, and so turns the first leaf of the music or book. The said piece,carrying the catch or tooth,then automatically returns to its normalposition and engages behind the next lever, which is now lowermost, andthis is similarly operated when the next leaf is to be turned, and so onuntil a number of leaves corresponding to the number of clips and leversprovided have been turned,when the piece car- 5 rying the catch or toothis lowered, and the said levers can then be turned back to theiroriginal position for reuse.

In order that my said invention may be fully understood, I shall nowproceed more 6 particularly to describe the same, and for that purposeshall refer to the several figures of the annexed drawings, the sameletters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all the figures.6

Figure 1 is an elevation with the case in section. Fig. 2 is atransverse section, and Fig. 3 is a plan, with the cover of the caseremoved, of an apparatus constructed according to my invention, andFigs. at and 5 are details drawn to a larger scale.

A number of levers, a, are set upon the axis 1), so that they can beturned one after the other from the position shown in Fig. 1 in fulllines to that shown in respect to one of them in dotted 7 lines. Each.lever to carries a clip, aZbetween each of which one of the leaves ofthe music or the like to be turned is placed, the leaf to be firstturned being held by the clip of the longest lever, the ncxt leaf by thenext shorter 1e ver, and so on, the last leaf to be turned being held bythe shortest of the levers. I prefer to set the clips at an angle, asshown in Fig. 1, so as not to obstruct the music or printing or the likeupon the leaves. 8

Fig. 4 shows a construction of clip that may be used; but I do not limitmyself to any particular construction of the said clip. As shown in thedrawings, it consists of a back piece,

a, or projection from the lever, to which is centered, at a,-a piece, aagainst the lower flattened part of which bears a knife-spring,

a, which retains the piece a in its closed position, but allows it to beturned down, as shown in dotted lines, for placing the leaf be- 5 tweenthe parts a and a. The bearing parts are preferably covered withindiarubber or leather, or the like, to give a proper grip upon theleaf. The levers a are kept at a sufficient distance apart to give thema clearance by means of the washers c, mounted upon the axis 1). Beneaththe levers a, and mounted upon the axis 1), so as to be capable of amotion of partial rotation thereon, and also of a longitudi nal motionthereon, is apiece, D, (shown more clearly in Fig. 5,) having upon itsupper part a catch or tooth, d, which engages the lowermost of thelevers a, a spring, 6, keeping the said piece D in its raised position,so that its said tooth d engages with whichever of the levers may be thelowermost of those not turned over. The said piece D has a pulley, (1formed upon it or attached to it, one end of a cord, f, or itsequivalent, being fixed to the said pulley, the said cord being led overa pulley or guide, or pulleys or guides, as at f, to a pedal or otherinstrument, by which a free pull can be exerted upon it to turn the saidpiece D in the direction for turning over the leaves. A cord, or itsequivalent, is also attached by one end by the said pulley (P, the otherend of the said cord 9 being attached to a spring, h, so that when thesaid piece D is released from the pull upon the cord f the said spring hand cord 9 return it to its normal position. I: is a lever by which thespring 0 can be lowered, and with it the piece D to allow of the leversa being turned back, when required, to their original position. Theapparatus is preferably inclosed in a casing, as shown, and attached tothis casing is the support K, having a bar, It, behind which the musicor the like is passed, and by which it is held firmly at the partconstituting the cen ter upon which the leaves are to be turned. Thesaid bar It may be hinged at the lower part, and secured at the upperpart by a catchpiece, it, of any suitable construction. The side of thesupport K, from which the leaves are turned, has a clip-piece, Z, forholding firmly the coveror next sheet to that to be last turned. Thisclip may be of any suitable construction. As shown in the drawings, itconsists of a lever, entered at Z, and having a tail-piece, Z which,when the catch is raised, passes through a slot, Z in the support. Apiece, Z", can be slid down behind this tail piece I when the clip isclosed, so as to hold the sheet or cover very firmly. 1 do not, however,limit myself to any particular construction of the means by which themusic or book is secured to the support.

\Vhen the apparatus is to be used,the music or the like is secured tothe support K, and the last page or cover is held by the clip Z, or itsequivalent. The last leaf to be turned is secured between the clip a" ofthe shortest and uppermost lever, a, the next leaf by clip a of the nextlower lever, a, and so on, the first leaf to be turned being securedbetween the clip a of the longest and lowermost lever, a. The tooth dotthe piece D lies behind the lowermost lever, as shown in Fig. 2, and onexerting a pull upon the cord f the said piece D has a motion of partialrotation upon the axis Z), given to it in the direction of the arrows inFig. 5, and the lowermost lever, a, is thereby turned through about ahalf rotation upon the axis b, so that it takes up the position shown indotted lines in Fig. 1, taking the leaf over with it. A piece ofindiarubber or soft material is preferably provided at m to preventnoise. Vhen the pull on the cord f is released, the spring h pulls uponthe cord and causes the piece D to be turned back to its originalposition, and as it is pressed upward by the spring 6 its tooth (Z (whenthe said piece D has reached the limit of its back stroke) engagesbehind the next lever a to turn over that lever when another pull isexerted upon the cord f, and so on with all the leaves to be turned.After all the leaves have been turned, the piece D is lowered bydepressing the lever 73, and the levers a can then be turned back totheir original position for reuse.

Although I have shown four levers, a,it will be evident that anyrequired or suitable number can be similarly arranged for keyed musicalinstruments.

It will be evident that my invent-ion may be readily applied to pianosor other like musical instruments, to music-stands, invalids book-rests,and the like.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my saidinvention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declarethat what I claim is- 1. In an apparatus for turning over leaves ofmusic or books, the combination of aseries of pivoted levers and apivot-pin, with the turning-piece D, free to move longitudinally as wellas to rotate on said pin, and having a catch to engage with thelowermost lever and a spring to move said piece longitudinally on thepin into engagement with the successive levers, substantiallyasdescribed.

2. The combination of a pivot-pin and a series of pivoted levers to turnthe leaves of music, with a turning-piece, D, free to movelongitudinally on the pivot,as well as to rotate thereon, and having acatch, (1, a spring to return it to its normal position, and a spring tomove it longitudinally on the pivot into en gagement with the successivelevers, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a series of pivoted levers to turn the sheets ofmusic, and apivotpin, .with a piece, D, free to move longitudinally androtate on the pin, and having a catch to engage with the successivelevers, and having also a pulley portion and a cord to operate it,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDlVARD NEG RONI.

XVitnesses:

CHAS. MiLLs, CHAS. JAS. JoNEs, Both of 47 Lincolns Inn Fields, London.

